No Extended Hours for Dance Studio

The owner of a dance studio that police say once operated as a nightclub won his bid this week to stay in business but lost an appeal to operate until midnight.

Police Det. Tom Rackleff said several undercover investigations revealed that the Vy-Vi Matinee dance studio at 15440 Brookhurst St., formerly Bambi Dance School, had regularly sold liquor to patrons and charged admission, violating state alcohol codes and local permits.

In February, the city Planning Commission reviewed the case and agreed to allow the studio to stay open under new ownership for a six-month trial. However, the commission imposed a 10 p.m. curfew to ensure the studio would not be used as a nightclub.

Owner Hoa The Luu appealed that decision to the City Council recently, arguing that he needed to stay open until midnight on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays for dance practice and that closing at 10 p.m. was harming his business.

“I only want to operate this as a school, not as a nightclub,” Luu told the council this week.

After hearing testimony from some of Luu’s dance instructors and students, council members upheld the six-month trial and 10 p.m. curfew.

“If they show good intentions and run the studio as such, maybe after six months he can come back and present his case,” Councilman Tony Lam said.

A Police Department request to shut the studio down was rejected.